-Chapter 3-

Night of the Lizard, Part 3

NYPD cars came screaming down the street toward Oscorp. As they stopped, Yuri got out to see Peni dangling from a webline out a window, a deadpan expression on her face.

"Peni?" Yuri let out. "What are you doing up there?"

"Oh, you know," Peni replied nonchalantly. "Just hanging around."

"Somebody get the fire department on the line!"

"No need!" Spider-Man called out.

Spidey swung down and cut Peni free of the web, bringing her to the ground safely. The minute he landed, Yuri immediately drew her sidearm, pointing it at him. Spider-Man just looked at her blankly.

"Oh yeah," he said flatly, lifting his hands in surrender. "Just jump to lethal force the minute you see me. Great plan."

"Aunt Yuri, don't!" Peni objected, getting between her aunt and Spidey. "He's trying to help!"

"What is he even doing here?" Yuri demanded.

"Dealing with the Lizard monster who just floored you and your squad less than half an hour ago," Spider-Man replied. "He gave me the slip."

Yuri blinked, but didn't lower her gun. Spider-Man let out a sigh.

"Look, Lieutenant. The Lizard stole Oscorp's Neogenic Recombinator. He's gonna use it to start turning people into monsters like him, and here you are wasting time on me. So would you rather focus your attention on me, or the real threat to the city?"

A few tense moments passed before Yuri holstered her gun.

"Alright, fine," she conceded. "First of all, what is that thing?"

Peni thought quickly.

"A Neogenic test subject," she said. "An accident at the lab ended up turning him from a normal lizard into that big reptile man."

"It's extremely dangerous, and even with my Spidey-strength, I barely got out alive," Spider-Man added, lowering his hands. "You need to keep your men and civilians away from it at all costs."

Yuri winced at the reminder of how the creature defeated her so easily.

"And what's your plan to deal with the Lizard?"

"The Recombinator made it what it is now," Spider-Man noted. "So logic denotes it can work in reverse. First, we need to find tall, dark, and scaly."

"Using the Recombinator is only part of the puzzle," Peni added. "We need to find out exactly what's been done to it, study it so we can find an antidote. Blood or tissue sample, whatever's handy."

Spider-Man blinked. "Uh... Funny you should mention that."

-X-

The three were back inside, Spider-Man picking up the severed tail.

"Think this'll do the trick?"

"First, eww…" Peni let out. "Second, yeah. Definitely."

"While you do what you need to, I'll try to track down the Lizard," Yuri decided. "We need to find him before someone gets hurt... or worse."

She departed as Spider-Man and Peni set the tail on the table and got to work.

Meanwhile in a small suburb, a young woman was reading while her son was playing a game on a computer, unaware of the presence hiding outside.

"Hey Mom, is Dad home yet?" the boy asked. "He promised to play Sumo Slayers with me."

"Not yet, Billy," his mother replied. "But now that you mention it, he is late."

At that moment, they heard a voice outside.

"Martha? Billy?"

Billy perked up from the couch. "Dad! You're home!"

"Yes."

"What took you so long, Curt?" Martha asked.

"Sorry I'm late. I have something to show you. Come outside. It's amazing."

The two stood up, heading outside... and a massive reptilian claw shot out from the darkness and grabbed Martha by the mouth, cutting off her scream.

In Connors' lab, Spider-Man drew a sample of blood from the tail. Peni placed the tube in a machine linked to his computer, typing away. The screen showed a sample of Connors' blood/DNA, followed by an analysis of the Lizard's blood.

"Okay, Pete," she said. "If we can isolate the Lizard signature, we can remove it from Dr. Connors' DNA."

"Not gonna be easy, considering his regenerative abilities," Spider-Man remarked.

"Not easy, but possible."

Peni cracked her knuckles and neck before getting to work. After a little while, the antidote was synthesized, pouring out as a blue liquid into a vial.

"That should do it. Now all you need to do is load it into the Recombinator and blast him."

"So, the kids at school make fun of us and call us bookworms," Spidey noted. "Well, these 'bookworms' are gonna save the city."

He took the antidote. "All that's left is to find Dr. Connors."

"Easier said than done, Pete," Peni pointed out. "He could be anywhere in Manhattan by now."

"Last few times he was sighted, it was in the sewers," Peter noted. "It's as good a place as any."

He pocketed the antidote before hurrying out. Yuri was on the radio, a visible look of concern on her face.

"What's up?" he asked.

"Report of a Lizard sighting. Apparently he grabbed a woman and her son earlier."

Spider-Man's heart skipped a beat at that.

"This is bad…" he managed. "We need to find him ASAP."

Spider-Man wasted no time venturing down the nearest sewer grate, starting at where he encountered the Lizard the first time and branching out from there. As he headed through the tunnels, he heard voices. He immediately jumped to the ceiling, crawling along and stopping short at the sight of Martha and Billy sitting to the side, the Lizard going about his work at a makeshift lab and setting up the Neogenic Recombinator.

"Curt, I warned you what could happen!" Martha insisted. "That your lizard serum wasn't a good idea!"

"But it was," the Lizard insisted. "I've become better than before."

"Dad, stop!" Billy pleaded. "You're scaring me!"

"No no, Billy," the Lizard soothed. "This is a good thing. You'll see. I'm making a new, better world. I was the birth of it... and together, we will be the family that rules it."

Spider-Man's eyes narrowed at that. He'd heard enough to know he had to put a stop to this, and fast.

"Once I hook up the Neogenic Recombinator to the city's power grid, it will transform every man, woman, and child into one of us."

"Curt, please listen to me," Martha begged. "You're not thinking straight. Please, don't do this."

The Lizard hesitated, his expression softening, before he shook his head.

"You'll see I'm right before too long."

As he was about to press the button on the Recombinator, a webline ensnared his arm, stopping it in his tracks.

"I don't think so."

Spider-Man then swung down, kicking the Lizard and knocking the Recombinator out of his hands. Spidey tried making a break for it, but the Lizard quickly recovered, swatting him with his tail. Spider-Man collided with the wall, but quickly leapt out of the way as the Lizard tried swinging his tail again. The wall shattered on impact as Peter ran around.

"Doc, listen!" he pleaded. "The serum didn't just affect your body, it's twisted your mind! You have to stop!"

Lizard responded by roaring at Spider-Man before grabbing a chunk of rock and throwing it at him. Spider-Man leapt out of the way, barely dodging it.

"His mind's growing more reptilian by the minute," he muttered.

"Why can't you understand?!" the Lizard shrieked. "The Neogenic Recombinator will make us all better! We'll be able to heal any wound, replace any limb! No more suffering, no more pain!"

"Yeah, and you'll be turning us all into creatures like you!" Spider-Man shot back.

"Of course. I'm the first of a new race. A better race!"

The Lizard charged. Peter flipped over him, jumping on his back and grabbing him in a headlock. As the Lizard tried to dislodge him, Spider-Man turned to Martha and Billy.

"RUN!" he screamed. "Get outta here while you can! I can't hold him for long!"

Martha hesitated before getting up, taking Billy's hand and hurrying away as the Lizard tossed Spider-Man off, sending him flying through a wall and leaving a massive hole. With that, he headed for the lab table, taking a beaker full of a green fluid along with one filled with yellow powder. The Lizard crushed the latter in his fist, pouring the contents into the beaker, which began smoking heavily. He reeled back, throwing it into the hole he had made and creating a massive explosion.

"I've tried to be reasonable," he hissed. "I tried to make you see things my way, Peter. But you've made your choice, and I've made mine. I will create a new world. And the only thing that stands between me and mankind's true destiny... is you!"

Spider-Man hopped out of the hole. He fired two web lines and pulled on them hard, leaping up and slingshotting right into the Lizard's chest before dealing a quick one-two punch.

"Sorry, Doc!" he yelled. "I'm doing this for your wife and kid as much as for you!"

The Lizard retorted by slashing at Spider-Man, leaving claw marks across the chest of his costume.

"Agh!" Spidey reeled back, a hand going to the bleeding slashes. "Jeez... ever thought of clipping those?"

The Lizard charged, tackling Peter to the ground. He lunged forward, trying to bite him, but Spider-Man grabbed his jaws, holding him back.

"Phew!" he cringed. "Your breath is kicking like Jackie Chan!"

Spidey quickly socked him across the jaw, hoping to knock him back. The Lizard's head reeled back for a moment, before he chomped down on Peter's forearm. Spider-Man cried out in pain before slamming the Lizard's head against the ground with all his might, trying to dislodge his jaws. After the third head-smash, he managed to get his arm free. As the Lizard growled, Spidey shot a webline across his eyes before making a run for the Recombinator. Just as he was about to grab it, the Lizard's tail lashed out, wrapping around his neck like a hangman's noose. The Lizard pulled Spider-Man towards him as he struggled, but no matter how hard he pulled with both hands, Spidey couldn't break free. The Lizard pulled off his mask, looking him in the eyes.

"Poor Peter Parker…" he mocked. "No mother... no father... no uncle... You're all alone…"

As Peter was on the verge of passing out, he heard a gun cock, followed by a shotgun blast. The Lizard roared in pain, the tail releasing him. Even as he gasped for air, Spider-Man had the sense of mind to grab his mask and put it back on as his rescuer, Yuri Watanabe, stepped forward, cocking the riot shotgun in her hands and unloading another shell into the Lizard.

"I've got this!" she shouted at him. "Grab that gun!"

Spider-Man vaulted to his feet as Yuri faced off with the Lizard, hurrying for the Recombinator. He popped open the top, inserting the antidote and quickly making the proper calibrations.

"I've only got one shot at this, or we're Lizard food!"

As this went on, Yuri pumped multiple shotgun shells into the Lizard, even managing to blow off his fingers, but it was at that moment the gun clicked, out of bullets.

"Shit!" Yuri cursed.

She quickly began to reload, only to take a vicious backhand from the Lizard's newly regrown hand. She flew across the room, slamming into the wall and collapsing, unconscious. The Lizard was about to leap after her to finish the job when he heard a whistle.

"Time to take your medicine, Doc!"

The Lizard turned just in time for Spider-Man to pull the Recombinator's trigger, taking the blast right in the chest. He hit the ground hard, writhing in pain as the antidote took effect. His right arm crumbled into dust as he fully reverted back into Curt Connors. Once the transformation was complete, he collapsed, breathing heavily.

"Take it easy, Doc," Spider-Man assured. "The nightmare's over."

The next day, Peter met up with Peni, making sure the bandages over his forearm and chest were well hidden.

"How's your aunt?" Peter asked, wincing a little as Peni did her work.

"Tougher than she looks," Peni replied. "A few cuts and bruises. Big ones, yeah, but nothing serious."

"That's good. Doc seems to be doing a lot better too. And so far, everyone's bought our story. As far as the city's concerned, the Lizard was a normal critter in Oscorp's lab who was exposed to the Recombinator."

"And that's all they'll ever need to know."

"Real quick though, you absolutely sure Yuri didn't see my face?"

"She said as much. She was too far away to get a good look, and she was more focused on the Lizard anyway."

"That's good. No offense to your aunt, but I think enough people know my secret identity right now."

"Agreed."

As they headed into school, Peni smirked.

"So... how's it feel facing your first major supervillain?"

"Stressful. Hectic. Here's hoping I don't build up my own rogues gallery any time soon."

They both shared a laugh at that as they made their way to class, knowing that the Lizard was just the beginning...

Author's Note:

And thus ends the opening arc, and Spider-Man's first major supervillain fight.

For how they made the antidote, it was taken from how Batman made a cure for the Man-Bat in Batman: Arkham Knight.

What will happen next? Stay tuned to find out.

Please R&R. Until next time!